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Please note : Portions of this transcript have been edited for clarity

Hosts:

• Anil Yadav. Program Manager in the Terminal Server Team

• Rob Leitman, Terminal Services Licensing Programmer

• Rashmi Patankar, Software Design Engineer

• Ken McGrath, Moderator

Moderator: KenM (Microsoft) Welcome to today's chat. Our topic is "Windows Server - Terminal Server Licensing 2003 Chat." Questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome.

Moderator: KenM (Microsoft)
I'll now have the hosts introduce themselves.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Hi !! I am Anil Yadav. I am a Program Manager in the Terminal Server Team. Terminal Server Licensing is currently my area of focus. Welcome to this chat !!

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Hi, I'm Rob, and I'm a programmer that wrote a lot of Terminal Services Licensing.

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft)
I am a software design engineer in the Terminal server team.

Moderator: KenM (Microsoft)
Ken McGrath here, TechNet/MSN Web and Communities Producer.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: How long will an unactivated license server give out temps for? (i.e. I know that the temps are good for 90 days. But how long will a lic server hand out temps before it must be activated?) My testing seems to show 120 days. Can you confirm?

A: A License Server can remain inactive as long as you want. It does not have to be activated within 120 days.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: We know that license servers notify other license servers when CALs are added or removed in some situations (Domain within domain, Ent within site, From ent to domain, From 2k to 2003). Under what situations is this information used?

A: When you have multiple license servers, any requests that come in for a CAL type that isn't available locally will be forwarded to a license server that does have that CAL.

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft)
Q: What happens if a client presents an expired temp TS CAL to a TS, and that TS's license server has no CALs. Will the license server pull a CAL from another license server? Will the TS try another license server from its cache?

A: The License server that originally issued the license will forward the request to another license server that it has identified as having the requested license version.

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft) The expired license will be renewed with the new license server as the issuer

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: I hope I am not intruding with this question but, I have some computer problems that I need help with pretty soon. If I need to look elsewhere for assistance will you please let me know or will one of you be able to help me?

A: If the problem is related to Terminal Services Licensing, we'll help. If not, you can try one the community newsgroups. See http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/default.mspx

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: I have currently activated my 2003 Terminal Server Licensing. Previously I was running Windows 2000 TS with licensing. When I look in my Terminal Services Licensing administion window, I notice that none of my Terminal Server 2003 licenses have been is

A: You need to install licenses from the begining on the LS 2003. During upgrade the licenses are not automatically transfered to LS 2003.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: Can you lock a licence server down so that only users on certain TS servers get the licences?

A: If you're using Win2003 Terminal Services, you can use the Terminal Server Computers group to control this. Add all Terminal Servers you want to get licenses to this group.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: But previously my TS Licesning server was 2000. 2003 TS Licenses can only run on a 2003 Server. I have only ever loaded 2003 licesnses on my 2003 TS Licesning server

A: A LS 2003 can also serve licenses to Terminal Server 2000 machines. Furthermore, a License for TS 2003 can be automatically downgraded and consumed by a TS 2000 machine.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: For my previous question - Is that using a W2003 TLS, then I can just add the servers to the TS comp group on the licencing server?

A: Yes, that's right.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: Do you have any Terminal Services functionality chats planned ?

A: Not at present. But will do so in future. What topics would you expect to be convered here?

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft)
Q: If a TS is configured for "per user" licensing.. if a client connects with a valid device CAL, will that always be accepted? (i.e. will that always cause the TS not to request a user TS CAL?)

A: "Per User" licensing mode is not managed at this time. As long as the Terminal server has discovered a license server, client connetcions will be allowed independent of whether the client has a license or not.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: Hi, my TS connection is unable to detect the clients' desktop USB webcam. Is there anything to do with TS licensing issue? Or simply TS cannot support USB device? I am urgently and trying hard to allow webcam connection over TS. Thanks...

A: This isn't a licensing issue. TS only supports USB printers, not any other USB devices.

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft)
Q: Will 2k cals upgrade?

A: Yes, when a client with a 2K CAL connects to a 2K3 Terminal server, the CAL will be upgraded to 2K3.

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft)
Q: Follow up.. just to be clear, a "per user" mode TS does not have any communication whatsoever with the Lic Serv other than validating that one exists? Does it need a find an activated lic serv, or will any one do?

A: Correct, the Terminal server will not communicate with the License server once it has discovered it. It does not matter if the license server is activated.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: Follow up 2: Is the ECL also non-managed in the same way as a per-user TS?

A: Yes. If you want to use ECL, you should set the TS to Per User licensing. You'll still a license server available, as with Per User.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: That still doesn't explain why none of my 2003 TS licenses have been issued

A: This issue needs to be investigated a bit more. I can follow with you separately.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: Is TS still going to be allowed to run in Remote Administratio mode in 2003 Server

A: Yes. In Win2003, don't install Terminal Services, just use the Remote tab in My Computer>Properties.

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft)
Q: The topics I am interested in are securing a TS on the web, and some specific performance issues I counldnt get answered in newsgroups

A: This question is not so much licensing related as general TS. Is there anything specific to licensing you are looking for?

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: What if you've already installed TS can you remove it and still have funtionality of 2 user Remote Administrator mode

A: Yes, this will work.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: I read some part in TS web site saying TAPI is not supported. But is it supported in TS 2003? Thanks.

A: Do you mean Telephony API or Terminal Services API?

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft)
Q: Is CAL per concurrent session or per device? If per device, can it be transferred from one machine to another.

A: CALs in 2K3 are Per-Device CAL, there are no concurrent CALs. Once a per-device CAL is issued to a client machine, it is tied to that machine.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: I m mean Phone Dialer for TAPI

A: Phone Dialer is something TS does not directly own. Could you look at general Windows Server 2003 API to get an answer.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: How does "per user" licensing mode affect the integrity of the technical enforcement of license compliance? i.e. couldn't a rogue admin simply set their Terminal Servers to per user mode and then not deal with installing licenses?

A: Yes, you're in the same situation as Windows Server CALs: the honor system (and audits) are all that stop you from non-compliance.

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft)
Q: Any future plans to manage per-user licenses?

A: Yes there is plans to support this in a future release

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: How is TS encrypted, I've never read or seen where to set that up?

A: Tne encryption level can be set at the Server ( use RDP Connection properties ). On the General Tab there are options to set the Encryption level.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: Why does MS build the technical compliance infrastructure of a lic. server if it can be so easily circumvented by setting a TS to "per user" licensing?

A: During the beta, we built support for "Per-CPU" licensing. At the last minute, we realized that Per User was better for our customers, but didn't have time to build technical compliance infrastructure.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: Any plans to add ALT-CTRL-Delete function to TS for ill behaved application in your session?

A: You can ALT-CTRL-End to do the same thing, or right-click on the task bar and choose Task Manager.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: Any other plans for future licensing technical components you care to share today

A: At this time all we can say is that we will continue to improve monitoring and management of licensing.

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft)
Q: Does CAL in W2k and 2k3 work the same way.. Per device and non-transferrable?

A: There is no difference between W2K and W2K3 Per-device CALs other than their version.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: by task bar to you men the tab on the top or the task bar on the bottom of your session?

A: I mean the task bar at the bottom of the session.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: News to me, you say I can also do Alt-Ctrl-End to emulate remote Alt-Ctrl-Del?

A: Yes, that's right. Take a look at the Help in Remote Desktop Client: Using Terminal Server shortcut keys.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: I just tried Alt CTRL End on a client site - it does not appear to work

A: If you're using an NEC98 client, try F15 instead.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: Can you use Certificates or Smart cards for TS authentication?

A: With Win2003, you can use Smart Cards. Just turn on smart card redirection in the Remote Desktop client.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: We've got 130 NT workstations with temporary TSCALS about to expire in 15 days. We are planning to upgrading to 2000 in Jan 2004. Is there any way to avert a problem to get us through the end of the year??

A: The temporary CALS are issued for the duration of 90 days. The general idea behind the temporary CALs is that in 90 days you would be able to evaluate whether a TS based solution is right for you. If TS is something you want to use on a permanent basis

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
A: continued... please have licenses on the clients.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: my qns just now: are u aware wherther citrix supports USB devices/TAPI/Barcode scanners? Any plan to add in such functionalities in TS? Anyworkaround solutions?

A: For Citrix functionality, I would refer you to Citrix. They can give you a very definitive answer. Regarding addition of new functionality, we are looking into it but we can't commit to it at present.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
A: Regarding TS Encryption, you enable it on the Terminal Server. You need to launch Terminal Services Configuration utility from Administration Tools. Then select the connection "RDP-TCP" there and click on Properties. You will then see the ability to d

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
TS Supports FIPS, SSL, RC-128 encryption.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: OK I found it on the General TAB, but what is Low, Medium and High and what type of encryption algorithm does it provide

A: These level indicate which of the communication is encrypted. Please look at Help for specifics on each of these.

Host: Rashmi (Microsoft)
Q: We've got 130 NT workstations with temporary TSCALS about to expire in 15 days. We are planning to upgrading to 2000 in Jan 2004. Is there any way to avert a problem to get us through the end of the year??

A: The only solution is to install the required number of CALs on the license server that the terminal server can discover and get the licenses from.

Host: Rob (Microsoft)
Q: Also is this encryption for session or just for login?

A: It's for the entire session.

Host: Anil_Yadav (Microsoft)
Q: Is there any way to get an extension to the TSCALS? We've been approved and budgeted for 2004 upgrade to the PC's. We don't want them to go down in the next 2 weeks. Any suggestions?

A: It is not possible to extent temporary CALs. I would suggest you purchase and install permanent CALs on appropriate servers.

Moderator: KenM (Microsoft)
Thanks for joining us today and thanks for the questions. It's time for us to go now. Please see the chats schedule for upcoming topics.

For further information on this topic please visit the following:

Newsgroups: microsoft.public.win2003.termserv.clients

Terminal Services Transcripts: Read the archive of past chats.

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